As you know from last year’s, these awards are a little different than the main awards that have already been given out today. These are just what they are billed as… STAFF PICKS. These are not based on statistical facts. They are the opinions of our staff members, who have spent the entire year listening to your music and watching your videos.
Read on as they break down why they chose what they did in the following categories.

WATCH THE RISE:
The artists we think you should keep your eye on in the upcoming year.

J.Scott – D-WHY
If you’ve ever watched a D-WHY video, you were probably as shocked as I was to realized that he is an unsigned talent. His production quality from audio to visual is always top of the class. His fan base is growing immensely – and the release of his free album ‘Don’t Flatter Yourself’ solidified him as a force to be reckoned with. D-WHY manages to stand out as he fits in. His personal lyrics, mixed with his seemingly bashful braggadocio, give him layers that many artists are missing these days. He is working with several hot ticket names in the industry now, and, mark my words, he will make a huge impact in 2013.

LG – Mike StudTo say that Mike Stud won’t make it in this industry should almost be considered blasphemy. He is one of the strongest, and most consistent rappers we post, almost never having a song our staff did not like. This year saw him teaming up a lot with close friend Huey Mack, and most of their collabs were better than anything you’ve heard on the radio as of late. He was on tour the past few months and played sold out shows to frantic fans. A new mixtape, and an album are reportedly on the horizon. It’s a wonder he hasn’t been signed yet, but we would almost be willing to bet we won’t be saying this next year.

FAVORITE VIDEO:
Our personal favorite videos of the year.

J.Scott – D. Fields x Mr. Man x Futuristic x K.i.D x SK4MC x D-WHY “No Budget”Everything about this video is exciting. Easily one of the best edited videos of the year. And I don’t just mean on an unsigned level. Each rapper delivered their own environment and experience as the powerhouse list of emcees traded bars. D. Fields, Mr. Man, Futuristic, K.i.D, and SK4MC gave so much energy and knew exactly how to bring you into their worlds. And then the closer of the show, D-WHY, who was the only artist to get a real suspense-building introduction, did exactly what he does best… win you over. And all of this with no budget? That’s a winner.

LG – Mike Stud “Youth”The video isn’t really anything special. But what it is, is a perfect video for this song. A lot of artists seem to be forgetting how to make good videos for the subject matter. In “Youth”, Mike Stud showcases times with friends that really transcends age, which is precisely what he’s rapping about. The fun times in the video are genuine, and it just adds to the smiles that the video gives you. Some of the shots are great, featuring a few selections from inside a laser tag arena. One of the standout parts of the video however, is seeing Mike Stud pick up a baseball glove. If you know the journey of Mike Stud, this is more than just another frame in the visual, it’s the shot that makes the whole video.

CHOICE MIXTAPE/ALBUM:
Our personal favorite mixtape of the year.

J.Scott – Chris Miles “I Am Me”
Until a few weeks ago I was having a hard time narrowing down exactly who I was going to choose for this category. And then Chris Miles came out of the blue with a mixtape that sounds like an album and delivers like a greatest hits. Not bad for the first complete project from the 13 year old rapper. Mr. Miles has been on my radar for most of this year with his rapid-fire lyrics and infectious charisma. ‘I Am Me’ delivers all of that and more. His words are years beyond his age, and his production is aptly suited. If I was able to pick a second artist to watch their rise in 2013, it would be Chris Miles without a doubt. He will probably hate this comparison at first, but hear me out… Chris could easily become the Justin Bieber of the hip hop world. And I don’t mean because he’s a young white kid. Not at all. I mean that when he makes a major label debut, within a year he could be the top dog of his genre.

LG – Adam Reverie “Michigan Autumns: Ballad Of Adam Reverie”This was tough, I really only listened to two projects from our site this year for personal enjoyment. Those two, were very strong tapes, and just gave me everything I wanted from a project, and more. One of them was “The Captain” from J-Dub. The other, is the winner of the battle – Adam Reverie’s “Michigan Autumns: Ballad Of Adam Reverie”. The real joy of this project was that it didn’t catch me off guard. I am fully aware of Reverie’s talent, and have thoroughly enjoyed his other two projects I’ve reviewed. But this is most definitely his crowning achievement. It has every kind of mood, rolled into a package that treated production like a character in a movie. His lyrics are some of the most hard hitting I’ve ever heard here. I know I’ll still be listening to this when I pick next years winner.

GUILTY PLEASURE:
The one track that we can’t seem to deny ourselves of.

J.Scott – Crown Marquiss “All wood”
Day after day, week after week, and month after month, we at RapRies are bombarded with music of all styles from all over the world. It’s only natural that we don’t necessarily like every song we hear. But sometimes, even though an artist may make music that we don’t traditionally like, we can’t stop singing their music. And all year I have been singing “Yeah you, mothaf*cka, you know me!” Crown Marquiss’ “All Wood” is comically undeniable. The video is pure jokes. The best part is… I’m not even sure if he meant to be funny.

LG – Chris B ft. Dange Dizzy “She Be Modelin”Chris B is the ratchet king. I don’t really like this genre of music, but something about most Chris B songs make me want to throw on a fitted (which I don’t wear anymore), and head to a kickback (which I don’t do anymore) for a lapdance (same – girlfriend). Which means that Chris B makes me want to go back to my reckless ways. The definition of a guilty pleasure. This song in particular sounds like a Big Sean song, but boy-oh-boy does it bring back some memories.

MAN, this video is epic! D. Fields, Mr. Man, Futuristic, K.i.D, SK4MC and D-Why recreate all of their videos directed by Buff Nerds’ Jacob Owens in “No Budget”. This song is ill. These guys pulled no punches in their verses. And shout out to D-Why for being the secret weapon in this group of lyrical beasts.

Ladies and gents, K.i.D is making April 1st #GoOutsideDay. So make sure you… Go outside on that day. OR you could just gear up for the visuals of Super Duper Kyle’s new song “Go Outside”. Either way, you’ll be doing good.

Last week, we announced that we will hold an annual list called ‘The Rising Class’ that will be released one week after XXL’s ‘Freshman Class’. Submissions and votes for the list came in an extraordinary abundance. Every single vote was viewed and considered. But votes weren’t the only criteria for making the list.

What we looked for:
Artists with strong or steadily growing fan bases.
Artists that know how to market themselves and also have marketability.
Creativity and content were also accounted for.
Artists who have had a strong presence on RapRise.
And finally, star power. Those artists that we at rR believe could/should be signed to major labels.

What’s Your Name?

Who are you? Really. Ask yourself that. The first step to making a presence is knowing who you are. The one thing that should always be consistent throughout your brand, (yes, you are a brand), is your name. Occasional name changes aside, your name always be the same. But when upcoming rapper, let’s call him “Kid Magic”, releases new music and his YouTube account calls him “K.I.D. Magic”, song title calls him “KidMagic”, Twitter calls him “Kiidd Magic”, and so on and so forth, how are his fans supposed to connect to his brand?
(Keep reading)